Double-ended flexible pipe joint having stacked co-axial primary and secondary annular elastomeric flex elements

摘要

A double-ended flexible pipe joint (26) has first and second extension pipes (51,52) extending from opposite ends of an outer housing (50), and first and second primary annular elastomeric flex elements (71,74) mounting the first and second extension pipes (51,52) to the outer housing (50). An inner housing (80) is disposed in the outer housing (50), and first and second secondary annular elastomeric flex elements (81,82) disposed in the inner housing (80) mount the first and second extension pipes (51,52) to the inner housing (80). Tension upon the first and second extension pipes (51,52) places each of the first and second primary flex elements (71,74) and each of the first and second secondary flex elements (81,82) in compression. The first and second secondary flex elements (81,82) contain fluid pressure within the first and second extension pipes (51,52) so that the first and second primary flex elements (71,74) are not subjected to the fluid pressure within the extension pipes (51,52).